A Page From the Doggerel Log

   In 1937, Frank Dodge contracted to take four scientists through Grand Canyon. Two were from Pittsburg Institute of Technology, the other two from CalTech. One of them, Bob Sharp, went on to become a world authority on geomorphology. At Bright Angel they picked up another budding authority—Edwin McKee, of the National Park Service—later to become the Grand Canyon geologist.

   They took nearly two months, pausing often to study the hard rocks in Granite Gorges, running some rapids, and lining their heavy mahogany boats around others. At Diamond Creek they had a visitor—Buzz Holmstrom, who had been hoping to catch them ever since Wyoming. Dodge wrote: When Campbell asked him,“Buzz, weren’t you ever afraid?” he replied, “Mr., I’ve been afraid ever since I left Green River, Wyoming.” …Something shone out of his eyes, something of wonderment and relief that the worst lay behind him and he was with friends and only a little more to go. I think if one man can love another that we all loved Buzz from that moment on.

   Bob Sharp created a 16-page hand colored log in verse of that trip, one page of which is reproduced here. The full color version is in Special Collections at NAU. Check it out sometime soon. See also bqr 7:1.